Volleyball is a wonderful and increasingly popular sport, though injuries can be common because it involves lots of jumping and fast, powerful arm movements. The good news is that many injuries can be avoided by taking a few easy preventive measures.
Colten Haack, UW Health Sports Medicine physical therapist, offers a few ways that athletes can minimize their risk of injury.
“Anything you can do to lower your injury risk is worthwhile because having one injury makes you more likely to experience another future injury,” Haack says.
“We always recommend starting out with a few minutes of warmup — whether you’re playing volleyball or engaging in any kind of physical activity. Warming up gets your blood flowing and prepares the body for movement.”
Ankle exercises
More than 40% of volleyball injuries are to the ankle. They are often caused by landing poorly after a jump or by making contact with another player at the net.
Use these techniques for reducing risk of ankle injury:
Single-leg hopping
Warm-ups should include single-leg hopping, back and forth over a line, to enhance stability and muscle activation. Spend a little time hopping on the left leg before switching to the right.
Side-stepping with a resistance band
Include side-stepping with a resistance band around your legs. The exercise increases hip strength, which is important for ankle stability.
Single-leg balance
Single-leg balance exercises should be added to your training program.
Knee exercises
The next most common volleyball injuries are to the knee, such as ACL tears, tendonitis or meniscus tears. These can be caused by poor landing mechanics, poor hip and core control, or lack of strength in the quadricep muscles.
The single-leg balance exercises that were discussed for ankle injury prevention will also help prevent knee injuries.
These additional techniques can help to avoid knee injuries:
Side-to-side bounding
Warm up by spending a few minutes on side-to-side bounding (also known as the Lateral Heiden).
Skater steps with band
Skater steps help protect the knees from injuries by working on strengthening the hips.
Shoulder exercises
Shoulder injuries are also common in volleyball, especially for front row players. These can include rotator cuff tendonitis, shoulder labral tears and shoulder instability. Using resistance bands is an effective way to help prevent these types of injuries.
No money with band
Hold a resistance band with both hands, elbows bent at 90 degrees and tucked at your sides. Rotate your hands outward while keeping your elbows in place, then return to the start and repeat.
Band pull-aparts
Hold a resistance band at shoulder height with arms extended. Pull the band apart by moving your hands outward until your shoulder blades squeeze together, then return to the start and repeat.